Queen Of Hearts: Rigsby goes to Lisbon for advice about his relationship with Van Pelt, and she proves to be surprisingly helpful.

Disclaimer: I do not now, nor will I ever, own the Mentalist as much as I like to dream I do.

Note: This, like Scarlet Fever, was written as a collaborative effort between Little Miss Erudite and I, so if you're reading this, give her half the credit in your mind. Please review!

Agent Wayne Rigsby tentatively knocked on Lisbon's door, unsure of what he'd actually say once he was on the other side. "Come in!" called a weary voice. Rigsby took a deep breath and entered. Lisbon looked from behind her computer, raising her dark eyebrows in surprise, when she saw who stood in the doorway. "Rigsby? I thought you'd left already. Is everything alright?"

"Boss, d'you have a minute?" he asked. "I need to talk to you." Lisbon stopped tapping away at her keyboard and looked up at him, her brow wrinkling in concern. "Sure," she replied uncertainly, gesturing at the seat in front of her desk. "So, Boss, um...you're a woman."

"Really?" gasped Lisbon, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "I hadn't noticed."

"See, the thing is…um…I wouldn't bug you but Jane's not here and Cho left already, and…" he mumbled, looking anywhere but directly at her. Lisbon's voice immediately softened, and said quietly, "Wayne, look at me. You can trust me. What's wrong?"

He met her level gaze and nodded. He took another deep, calming breath and then spoke, his words tumbling out in a rush. "I dunno what to do about Van P- Grace. I mean, I love her, and now that O'Laughlin's dead I have a chance to get her back…but is it too soon? And if it is, when does it stop being too soon? I just…I dunno what to do..I'm so confused."

Lisbon blinked slowly, a bit unnerved by the heart-spilling confession she had just heard. She sighed, wondering what she could say that would help him, but still perform her role as his boss. When she came up blank, she decided to do something she rarely did-speak from the heart: "Listen Wayne." She started, her head cloudy with the many mixed emotions in the room, "I can't fully understand what Van Pelt's going through-she shot and killed the man she thought she loved, that's gotta be damaging. But I've lost people I love too, and it takes time for a person to heal enough to even think about being in a relationship. I can't tell you how long it'll take that poor young girl to get over O'Laughlin –hell, she may never- but it's not gonna happen overnight. Sometimes," she said wistfully, looking somewhere far away, "No matter how in love you are with someone, the best thing you can do is be a friend, until they're ready for something more."

It was clear to Rigsby that his boss was no longer talking about him as she gazed longingly at the couch in the corner. Suddenly, she snapped out of her trance-like state and remembered herself. "So," she said in a businesslike tone, blushing slightly as she did, "Does that help?"

Rigsby nodded. "Thanks Lisbon."